Metal-working furnace



' W. C. ELY

METAL WORKING FURNACE Filed July 5, 1918 k 2 Sheets-Sheetl INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y3 May 27 1924. 1,495,635

/- W. C. ELY

METAL WORKING FURNACE Filed July '5, 1918 2 Sheets-heet 2 M22 62" 6! El ATTORNEY3 Patent Wiley 27, race.

WALTER O. ELY, 0F TEBRE HAU'I'E, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CHAIN COM- PANY, INC., A'CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METAL-WORKING FURNACE.

Application filed JulyS, 1918. Serial No. 287,857.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER C ELY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Terre Haute, in the county of Vigo and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal-Working Furnaces, of which the following is a specifi'cation.

My invention relates to metal working furnaces, and more particularly to the mountings for such furnaces.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of improved and efiicient driving mechanism for rotating metal working furnaces and the like.

A further object ,of the invention is the provision ofa mounting for furnaces and the like which can be made at a minimum cost and be durable and effective in practical use.

More particularly it is the object of the present invention to provide for a rotary metal working furnace driving mechanism comprising supporting wheels which, in cross section, are inwardly curved, and which are engaged at their curved peripheries by circular tracks connected to the rotary furnace and having peripheries which, in cross section are outwardly curved to correspond approximately with'the cur- I vature ofthe peripheries of the supporting wheels.

A further object of the invention is the provlslon of such supporting and driving connections in combination with means for allowing for the longitudinal contractions and expansions of the furnace and for the unequal effect of the heat from the furnace on the circular tracks.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations of elements being set forth in the appended claims An embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings forminga part of this specification, and in. which- Fi 1 is an end view of a furnace embodylng my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of a furnace embodying my invention shown in operative position between a fire-box and chimney, portions of the latter only being shown. Y

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I have shown a portion of a fire-box 'bustion from the furnace.

5, having a heat discharging end 6. Such a furnace may be of any desired form. It is preferable that the discharge end 6 be provided with a plane surface on its outer side, such as at 7 in Fig. 2. Spaced from the furnace, I provide a chimney 8 for receiving gases and products of com- The receiving end 9 of the chimney is also preferably provided with a plane outer surface facing the surface 7 of thefire-box. In the furnace shown, the ends 6 and 9 of the fire-box and chimney, respectively, are provided with fire-clay or other refractory linin s and each provided with a metal mem r 10 for facilitating holding the refractory material in proper position.

Between the ends 6 and 9 I mount a rotary furnace 11. This furnace may be of any desired construction. The form I have shown, by way of illustration, is sub: stantially the same as that set forth in United States application, Serial No. 76,- 319, filed February 5, 1916, by me. The ends 12 and 13 of the furnace 11 have parallel outer surfaces and adapted to be disposed closely to the ends Gand 9 of the fire-box and chimney, as clearly indicated in Fig 2.. r

My present invention has to do with the mountings for the furnace 11. This mounting comprises frame or base members 14 disposed under the furnace 11. In the frames 14 are journaled shafts 15 and 16. Rollers. 17 and 18 are fixed on the shafts 15 and'16. The shafts 15 are provided with gears 19, and such gears meshing with pinions 20. The pinions 20 are fixed on a shaft 21 which is journaled in both of the frames 14 .and connected with a motor 22, or some other source of power to impart motion to the rollers 17. The rollers 18 are not provided with any form of power, but are simply supporting rollers.

The furnace 11 is provided with ears 23 at its ends, and these ears 23 are connected by means of bolts 24 with ears 25 on annular track members 26 and 27. The outer peripheries or track surfaces of the tracks 26 and 27 are formed non-cylindrical, that is, with their peripheries or track surfaces not in straight lines in cross-sect on. the form I have shown being curved, as indicated at 28 in Fig. 2. The peripheries of the rollers 17 and 18 are formed so as to snugly fit the track surfaces or peripheries of the tracks 26 and 27, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2. Where the track surfaces of the tracks 26 and 27 are curved outwardly, as shown, the peripheries of the rollers 17 and 18 are curved inwardly, in cross-section. By forming the track surfaces of the tracks and peripheries of the rollers in this manner, it will be apparent that the rollers hold the tracks and furnace against longitudinal movements of the tracks with respect to the rollers. Furthermore, by providing the track surfaces and eripheries'of the rollers non-cylindrical, T have found that much less expensive materials can be used in their manufacture.

This is particularly true where the tracks and supporting rollers are provided with curved peripheries as shown in the drawings. It has been found in practice that very good results are obtained by providing the supporting rollers 17 and 18 with peripheries which are curved inwardly, as shown in the section of the roller 17 at the lower left-hand portion of Fig. 2, such a section being taken through the axis of the roller 17. The peripheries of the circular tracks 26 and 27 which are secured to the rotary furnace to rotate therewith, are curved outwardly, as shown by the section taken through the center or axis of rotation of the furnace. Preferably the radius of curvature as determined by a radial plane intersecting the periphery is quite small as compared with the radius of either track 26 or 27. A smaller radius of curvature for the periphery of the circular tracks is desirable by reason of the fact that when the furnace is in operation and being rotated, the circular tracks, particularly the one designated 27, may become unequally heated, and therefore tend to move back and forth longitudinally of the furnace during the rotation of the latter. llf the tracks and rollers had cylindrical engaging surfaces under such conditions, they would not come in contact over their entire width and the tendency would be for one or the other of the lateral edges of the circular track to roll on the cylindrical surface of the supporting rollers. Considerable weight would therefore be concentrated on the circular edges of the track instead of being distributed over the initial cylindrical surface. To withstand this concentrated pressure the cylindrical tracks and rollers would have to be made of manganese steel or other high grade steel, and even then such cylindrical rollers have become crystallized and broken in use. By providing the tracks and rollers with correspondingly curved peripheral surfaces, ordinary grey castings maybe used satisfactorily in the construction of such tracks and rollers. a This is because the pressureof the tracks on the rollers due to the accuses and tend to move back and forth over the peripheral surfaces of the rollers longitudinally of the furnace. lit can readily be seen by referring to the drawings, that if the circular tracks become unequally heated and curved along portions thereof out of true circular paths, the tendency will be as the furnace rotates to move back and forth longitudinally of the furnace, thus tending to move the rollers 17 at the right of Fig. 2, back and forth along the shaft 15. The tendency for portions of the circular track, due to unequal heating, to more out of the circular path, is not on the axis of the furnace but on short radii, and by having the radius of curvature of the peripheral surface short, the area of contact between such peripheral surface and the rollers will be maintained and there will be no running on edge of the circular track on the rollers. It will thus be seen that by pro- .viding circular tracks having the intersection of a radial plane with such surface, an. arc of short radius, and the rollers grooved accordingly, not only may the expansion and contraction of the entire furnace be compensated for, but the irregularities in shape of the circular tracks may be allowed for, while less expensive materials and workmanship in the manufacture of the tracks and rollers is demanded than in those structures ordinarily employed.

The provision of non-cylindrical engaging surfaces between the circular tracks and the supporting rollers is useful for maintaining a close connection between the firebox and the rotary furnace, while the latter may expand or contract without interfering with the area of contact between the peripheries of the circular tracks and the supporting rollers, by reason of the fact that the rollers 17 and 18 on the shafts 15 and 16at the right-hand portion of the structure, as shown in Fig. 2, may move longitudinally of such shafts in accordance with the degree of expansion and contraction of the furnace. This is true even though the heat-receiving end 12 of the furnace does not fit tightly against the annular surface 7. In other words, even though a space may be provided between the heat-receiving opening 12 and the annular surface 7, the grooved rollers at the left of Fig. 2 may be relied on to hold the left-hand end of the furnace in predetermined position while expansion and contraction of the furnace is compensated for by n'lovement of the right-hand rollers along the shafts on which they are mounted. The most important feature of my invention, however, is the provision of the grooved peripheral surfaces of the supporting rollers curved inwardly at the intersection of radial planes with such peripheral surfaces, combined with circular tracks having peripheries such that the intersection of radial planes'with such peripheries will be curved outwardly corresponding to the curvature of the supporting rollers and to fit the circumferential grooves of the latter. Then, in addition to compensating for the expansion and contraction of the entire furnace and maintaining a distributed pressure between the peripheries of the tracks and the rollers, local expansion and contraction of the tracks is also compensated for by reason of the arcuate areas of contact between the tracks and the rollers. While the rollers at the left, as shown in Fig. 2, cannot move longitudinally of the shafts on which they are mounted, local contraction or expansion of the circular track 26 may nevertheless occur while maintaining a large area of contact between the track 26 and the V circumferential surfaces of the rollers, particularly when a small space is provided be tween the annular surface 7 and the heat opening 12 'of the furnace to allow for a The rollers supporting the track 26 are mounted between bearings 29 on one of the frames 14 in such a manner that there is practically no endwise movements of the rollers. This permits holding the heat-receiving end 12 of the furnace very close to the heat discharge end 6 of the fire-box. The rollers supporting the track 27 are mounted between bearings 30 on the other frame 14 insuch a manner that there is an appreciable space between the rollers 17 and 18 and, such bearings permitting the shafts and rollers to move longitudinally ofthe latter. lVith this arrangement the end 12 of the furnace is held very close to the end 6 of the fire-box, and since the roller adjacent this end of the fire-box has practicallyno longitudinal movement, the space between the ends 6 and 12 will not vary substantially during contractions and expansions of the furnace. Since the rollers supporting the track 27 are free to move longitudinally, the contractions and expansions of the furnace will cause the space between the end 9 of the chimney and end 13 of the furnace to vary according to the amount of contraction and expansion of the furnace. lt is important in use that the space between ends 12 and 6 be very small so that heat will not pass out between these two ends. After the heat has acted on the material in the furnace 11 and passes to the chimney 8, it is not so important that some of this might pass out through the space between the ends 9 and 13.

l claim 1. A meta working furnace comprising a firebox. a chimney spaced from the firebox, a rotary furnacebetween the firebox and the chimney, spaced-apart circular tracks each comprising a ring spaced from the body of said furnace, a plurality of radial arms for supporting the circular tracks on said furthereof with radial planes on short radii approximately equal to the radii of the centers of the grooved rollers, the latter being correspondingly curved to receive the curved peripheries of said tracks.

2. A metal working furnace comprising a firebox, a chimney spaced from said firebox, a rotary furnace between said firebox and said chimney, spaced-apart annular tracks connected to said furnace to rotate there-. with and having their track surfaces noncylindrical, spaced-apart rollers having their peripheries fitting the track surfaces of said tracks, means for supporting the rollers engaging the track at one end of the surface for rotation while confining such rollers against movement along their axes, and means for supporting the rollers engaging the track at the other end of the furnace, for both rotation and for movement along their axes to accommodate contractions and expansions of the furnace when in operation.

3. A metalworking furnace comprising a furnace, two annular spaced-apart tracks connected to said furnace to rotate therewith, a plurality of rollers, means for supporting said rollers in spaced apart position with their axes in parallel while confining said rollers against axial movements, said rollers being mounted in position to be engaged by one of said tracks, a plurality of additional rollers, and means for mounting said last-named additional rollers with their axes spaced-apart and in parallelism while permitting axial movements of said rollers in position to support the other track.

4:- A metal working furnace comprising two annular spaced tracks having their track surfaces non-cylindrical; a furnace mounted in the annular tracks and adapted to rotate therewith; and rollers supporting the tracks and having their peripheries fitting the track surfaces of said tracks, the rollers supporting one of the tracks being mounted .for movements longitudinally of thefurnace to accommodate contractions and expansions ofthe latter 1n use.

5. A metal. working furnace comprising a firebox, a chimney spaced from said firebox, a rotary furnace between the firebox and chimney, and means for supporting said furnace for rotation comprising an annular track spaced from the furnace body by radial arms, and a roller having a curved line of contact with the curved periphery of said track on a short radius equal to approximately the radius of said roller to distribute the pressure of the track on said roller over a wide area notwithstanding warping of said annular track.

6. A metal working furnace comprising two spaced-apart annular tracks having track surfaces arcuate at the intersection therewith of radial planes, rollers having their peripheries engaging and fitting the track surfaces of said tracks along arcuate lines of contact, means for confining against axial movements the rollers engaging one of said tracks, and means for providing limited axial movements of the rollers engaging the other track.

7. A metal working furnace comprising a rotatable furnace; two, annular tracks around and supporting said furnace; a frame under said tracks; rollers mounted in said frame and engaging one of said tracks, said rollers being mounted so as to have substantially no endwise movements in said frame; rollers engaging the other of said tracks and mounted in said frame with endwise movements accommodating contractions and expansions of said furnace in use without distorting said frame, the peripheries of said rollers and the track surfaces of'said tracks being curved and fitting together so that the rollers guide the rotary movements of the tracks; and a source of power connected to certain of said rollers engaging the tracks for imparting motion to said tracks.

8. In a metal working furnace, the combination with a rotary body portion, of means for rotatably supporting said body portion, comprising one rotary member connected to said body portion to rotate therewith and two spaced-apart rotary supporting members, means for mounting said spaced-apartsupporting members for limited axial movements independently of each other, the peripheries of said two additional supporting members being grooved to receive the periphery of said first-named member for arcuate lines of contact as determined by planes extending radially through the axes of said additional supporting members, and driving mechanism for effecting rotation of said body portion while said first-named member is being supported by said additional rotary members along such arcuate lines of contact.

9. A rotary metal working furnace comprising a furnace-body. annular tracks encircling the ends of said furnace body, arms connecting the furnace bod and tracks and spacing the latter from said furnace body. and supporting rollers supporting said tracks, said supporting rollers having their peripheral surfaces curved inwardly at the intersection of radial planes with such peripheral surfaces, said annular tracks having their peripheries curved outwardly corresponding to the curvature of the supporting rollers and fitting in the circumferential naeaese grooves of the latter and the mountings of said rollers permitting axial movements to accommodate variations in the space between said annular tracks.

10. A metal working furnace comprising a furnace body, two spaced-apart annular tracks each larger in diameter than the diameter of said furnace for spacing there from to reduce absorption of heat by said tracks from said furnace and to mimimize Warping of said tracks due to heat from said furnace, means for securing said tracks in such spaced relation with said furnace body, and rollers having their peripheries engaging and fitting the track surfaces along arcuate lines of contact at the intersection of the track surfaces with radial planes to secure large areas of contact between said tracks and said rollers.

11. lln a metal working furnace, the combination with a body portion having a heat chamber therein, of two circular tracks encircling said body, arms connecting the body with said tracks and spacing the latter from said body, spaced-apart rollers engaging the periphery of each of said tracks along arcua-te lines of contact as determined respectively by planes extending through the axis of said tracks and the axis of one of said rollers and through the axis of said tracks and the axis of said other roller, and means supporting said rollers permitting certain of said rollers to move axially to accommodate variations in the space between lateral irregularities of said tracks.

12. A rotary metal working furnace comprising spaced-apart annular tracks connected to the end portions of the body of the furnace, each track having its peripheral track surface curved outwardly on comparatively short radii at the intersection therewith of axial planes, a pair of spacedapart rollers with their eripheries curved inwardly at the intersection of such radial planes and engaging and fitting one of said tracks along curved lines of contact, means for mounting said rollers in position for such engagement and for confining such rollers against axial movements, and an additional pair of grooved spaced-apart rollers for receiving theother annular track along curved lines of contact also on comparatively short radii.

13. A metal working furnace comprising an annular track having surfaces arcuate at the intersection therewith of radial lanes, grooved rollers having their peripheries engaging and fitting the track surface of said track along arcuate lines of contact and on comparatively short radii, and means for providing limited axial movements of the rollers engaging said track.

14. ltn a metal working furnace, the sour bination with a body portion having a heat chamber therein, of a circular track con neeted to said body portion to rotate therewith, a plurality of rollers for engaging the periphery of said track along arcnate lines of contact as determined by planes extending through the axis of said track and the axes of said rollers, and means for, supportmg sald rollers to permit independent axial movements thereof movements of the to allow for unequal periphery of said track due to unequal heatlng thereof.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 29th day of May A. D. 1918.

WALTER C. ELY. 

